The Noble Pagan Forums - It is now a Federal Crime to commit an act of hateful violence.

**Cloudrunner** · #1 10-23-2009

The Senate passed legislation Thursday that makes it a federal crime to commit acts of violence against gay, lesbian and transgendered people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This effectively makes it a double dip for charges against you if you participate in hate violence now.

This legislation has been tried to be put through in other bills but was voted down at those times with opposition from the Republican party and with President George W. Bush threatening to veto any such bill that made it to his desk while he was in office. This time the legislation was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 and was passed by a 68-29 vote, sending it to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it into law.

Under the legislation, hate law crimes will be expanded to include protection of homosexuals and transgendered people. Previously, it was not a federal crime to assault someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This new classification now put sexual orientation in the same classification for hate crimes as race, religion and gender. Until now it was not a federal crime to commit violence against another person based on their sexual orientation (you could still be charged with Battery / Assault, a misdemeanor in most states).

One of the main reasons this legislation was pushed through was the 1998 kidnapping and killing of Wyoming teenager Matthew Shepard, who was beaten to death for being a homosexual.

Shepard was robbed, pistol whipped, tortured, tied to a fence in a remote, rural area, and left to die by his attackers Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson after they had met in a bar. Still tied to the fence, Shepard was discovered 18 hours later by Aaron Kreifels, who initially mistook Shepard for a scarecrow. At the time of discovery, Shepard was still alive, but in a coma. Shepard suffered fractures to the back of his head and in front of his right ear. He had severe brain stem damage, which affected his body's ability to regulate heart rate, body temperature and other vital functions. There were also about a dozen small lacerations around his head, face and neck. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support until his death 5 days later.

Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson both received two consecutive life sentences for felony murder but was never charged for a hate crime.

President Obama has said previously that he will sign the legislation into law. He has also urged Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act; both actions would benefit homosexuals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judy Shepard, board president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation named for her son

Hate crimes continue to affect far too many Americans who are simply trying to live their lives honestly, and they need to know that their government will protect them from violence, and provide appropriate justice for victims and their families.

This is a huge win for the gay and homosexual community and I applaud Congress and President Obama for passing this legislation. There is still much that needs to be handled better, for example the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, but I feel that this is a good step in the right direction.

**debnmike** · #2 10-23-2009

'Bout time.

Then again, it makes me wonder if we should have laws that are sooo specific (follow me here).

Committing murder (hate crime) should be a fed offense anyway, right? I mean, regardless of whether you are kicking the shit out of somebody for being gay, being too tall or liking the color orange the result is still the same, right?

On another note, it's such a pathetic state of affairs that we still treat people like 2nd hand citizens based on nothing more than sex. Gawd.

**CelticSpider** · #3 10-23-2009

Yeah I have to say I am in agreeance with doubledeb here. I think it great that someone can be hit heavy for doing something turrible to others. At the same time isn't crime in general an act of hate ( I don't want to hear the "stealing for your poor family" argument here because it na applying and ya'll know that)?
Rape
Assault
Murder
Manslaughter
Molestation
Slander
Robbery
Conspiring to mess some one up
Kidnapping
Cruelty to animals
Neglect
Abuse
The list goes on. I think it is kinda sad because Gays ( and with that term I am lumping the rest of alt. lifestyles because I do na feel like writing out Lesbian, Transgender etc or trying to put it in proper acronyms each time, so no disrespect it just pure typo laziness here) want to be seen as equal ( and as far as I concerned they are) and treated as such ( as they should be ) and now we have a special law thing that covers them.
It should be that no matter what your gender, orientation, faith, age, color, blah blah blah blah....you outta be hit hard for what you did. Not hit so hard or not so hard because you did something bad to a particular sect or type.
People are seriously becoming retarded.

Just my two guatalajaran centavos

ARRIBA!!!!

C/S/

**Cloudrunner** · #4 10-23-2009

There are arguments from the Republicans right now that are basically saying that this should not become law (and this was their argument for the last 8 years on this subject as well) because it would be a double dip in the cases. While I agree that it would be a double hit against the perpetrator, to me that's just all the more reason for them NOT to do it.

The other issue is that there is talk that the law would effectively make it illegal to talk out against the gay community in any way.

I have not yet read the legislation (I'll find it eventually), but the simple fact is that even if that happens ... The bill of rights outweighs this law anyway, so the freedom to speak out against someone is still there. It would be entirely on HOW that speech was used. If it is used against a specific person with threats ... well ... that's Assault, and therefore is subject to this law for the double hit. If it's simply, "I don't like gays." then that is their right to speak that because we live in these United States of America where you have the right to voice your opinion. So I fail to see or understand that particular argument against the legislation.

**debnmike** · #5 10-23-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloudrunner

There are arguments from the Republicans right now that are basically saying that this should not become law (and this was their argument for the last 8 years on this subject as well) because it would be a double dip in the cases. While I agree that it would be a double hit against the perpetrator, to me that's just all the more reason for them NOT to do it.

A) I don't give a hoot if it "double dips" anything. I have absolutely no sympathy for anybody who would perpetrate such a heinous act.
B) If these tards commit the act in the first place, they obviously don't care what the law states--they are focusing solely on not getting caught, but I don't see this law making them stop for a moment and say "hmmm, maybe I shouldn't do this cuz I be gettin' inta trouble". I mean, as it stands now, they could spend life in prison for murder anway and THAT doesn't seem to stop 'em.

Quote:

The other issue is that there is talk that the law would effectively make it illegal to talk out against the gay community in any way.

I have not yet read the legislation (I'll find it eventually), but the simple fact is that even if that happens ... The bill of rights outweighs this law anyway, so the freedom to speak out against someone is still there. It would be entirely on HOW that speech was used. If it is used against a specific person with threats ... well ... that's Assault, and therefore is subject to this law for the double hit. If it's simply, "I don't like gays." then that is their right to speak that because we live in these United States of America where you have the right to voice your opinion. So I fail to see or understand that particular argument against the legislation.

That first part sounds like a slippery slope to me. It'd be a little difficult to prove what "speaking out" would be--it'd be one side being completely offended by what was said (ergo they'd be screaming "assault"), while the other side would be cowering behind the 1st amendment.

**ChaosNeko** · #6 10-23-2009

Why?

I was mugged. It was done by three black males. It was because I was white. It was never labeled as a hate crime. It was a hate crime.

Government can make as many laws as they want. They can make sentences as long as they want. Most criminals ignore the law. Most criminals view jail time as a badge of honor.

So whats the point in praising the government for making a law that does nothing?

**Cloudrunner** · #7 10-23-2009

Shotguns do an ever so much better job of doling out justice than our justice system ... I've always said that. However, that said, I'm not disagreeing with anyone here, only stating that the fact of recognition is the bright point in all this. The judicial system is now officially recognizing that some factions of the public are targeted, which IS a step in the right direction.

**Macha Rising** · #8 10-23-2009

I couldn't read the whole post. I began to cry and I'm still all watery eyed.

Maybe I'm naive...because I just don't understand how such hate can be bred or taught and encouraged. I don't understand that...need to hurt someone just because they are different.

I understand anger, and I understand self defense and protecting loved ones... But I don't understand, I can't understand and frankly, call me ignorant, don't want to understand such malice. I just don't. It grips my insides and turns them into such a state of pain and sorrow when I read things like this.

Whether you are gay, straight, trans, lesbian, pagan, christian, islamic, buddhist, black, white, native american, asian...doesn't matter to me. It gives you no right to hurt, torture and/or kill another person because they aren't up to your standards.

-walks off before the tangent comes-

**debnmike** · #9 10-23-2009

Macha, I don't think any normal, rational person can understand such hatred.

I know I can't.

**Macha Rising** · #10 10-23-2009

You know when I step back I can break down rapists, pedophiles and things of that nature. Why? Because if you look at their history (past, parents, environment, what they've been exposed to...etc) you can give (usually) a rational explanation for what they do. This in NO WAY makes it right-- and I'm not saying I condone or agree with their actions at all. Trust me, I don't. But my point is I can break it down.

With malice such at racial, sexual and religious goes...I just..can't understand. It seems to me, pointless and just from a place of anger and hatred and...nothing good lets put it that way. And if you ask them "Well how would you like it if someone did this to you" they get angry and say "Well they can't because" or "They wouldn't because" and you fill in the plethora of reasons they justify why they are so sanctimonious.

Is it logical to say I hate, hate?